A Wizard's Wish
by Tally-Ally
Summary: "Just once I'd like some recognition. None of that 'Merlin, why are you so useless' or 'why do you even tag along if all you do is stand at the sidelines? I'm so sick of it! If only he knew how many times over his arse would be killed without me!"  AU.
1. Chapter 1

No Merlin rights for me =/

_Merlin slammed the door as he walked into Gaius' shop, almost knocking down some of the potions and vials on the table._

"_Just once, Gaius, just once I'd like some recognition," he said aloud, to no one in particular since the old physician didn't seem to be around. "None of that 'Merlin, why are you so useless?' or 'an infant would be more useful then you, Merlin', 'why do you even tag along if all you do is stand at the sidelines'? I'm so sick of it! If only he knew how many times over his arse would be killed without me!" _

_Merlin looked around, not hearing a response. He noticed that the shop was empty; Gaius must've been out on a house-call._

_With a grunt, he made his way to his room. "Just once, I'd like a pat on the back. A 'well done, Merlin', I wish I didn't have to hide," he mumbled to no one in particular as his mind started to slow, sleep overcoming him quickly from the fatigue. _

Too quickly, in fact, to hear a faint whisper, "As you wish, Emrys, áfaran álystan".

Merlin woke up with a gasp. Something felt off. For once, never has his bed been quite this comfortable. Nor could he hear Gaius' movement downstairs, or smell the potions the old man would brew in the morning.

Looking around, he knew he was definitely not in his room anymore. The place seemed fit for a king, then a prince's servant. In fact, looking around, he could almost swear that this was King Uther's chambers. But… But that couldn't be. Why would he have awoken here, of all places? He could remember returning to Gaius' shop after another battle with a magical creature.

"Sire," he heard a knock on the door. "Queen Morgana has been asking for you."

He saw a boy, not much older than himself, enter the chambers, careful to avoid gazing at him.

A look of shock passed Merlin's face. This was most certainly not the Camelot he had fallen asleep into. But where else could he be?

"Yes, let her know I'll be there shortly," he answered, dismissing the boy. Something wasn't right here. Magic, perhaps? But why would he then be royalty?

Reaching out with his mind, he tried to sense the great dragon.

"You dare seek me, young warlock?" an angry voice shouted in his mind. "You have made your choice, may it damn you to the pits hell!"

Feeling the rage of the dragon, Merlin quickly stopped. Just in time, it would seem, for in a moment Merlin lay on the ground, clutching his head from pain.

"_Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur shouted, shock and confusion evident on his face._

"_I am merely standing up for my kind, Prince," Merlin answered, his voice as cold as snow. He took Morgana's hand, leading her over to the throne. "The throne of Camelot now belongs to me and the Lady Morgana, and we shall rule with the peace and equality worthy of this land."_

_Arthur started at his servant, his friend, still not quite understanding what's happened._

"_Merlin, no, this isn't the way!"_

"_You are henceforth banished, Arthur Pendragon, may I never lay my eyes upon you again."_

_He seemed to find himself in a forest now, one he recognized as being a few minutes' walk from Camelot._

"_Merlin, you understand now, don't you? Uther's reign cannot be allowed to continue. He will wipe out magic in its entirety," Morgana pleaded, taking Merlin's hands into her own._

"_We won't let that happen," he heard his voice answer. _

"_I understand what you're going through, Morgana," Merlin spoke softly, finding himself one on one with the warden in her chambers. "I understand, because I have it too."_

"_Magic?" she asked, confusion etched all over her face. _

_For just a second, she noticed Merlin's eyes blazing yellow. For a second, nothing happened. Then, she noticed him holding out her palm. Slowly opening it, she saw a flame glowing brightly, like it was the most natural thing in the world._

_She could barely contain her tears. She rushed to hug the man before she even realized what she was doing, finally feeling like there was someone there, someone who understood her, someone who would help her through what she's going through._

Merlin opened his eyes what seemed to be an eternity later, barely able to stand the sun that was shinning. His head felt as if someone had cracked it open to force the new memories in, memories he didn't want to have. Arthur's face… He had never seen the prince look so devastated, so hurt.

As his vision cleared up, he noticed Gaius standing over him.

"Gaius!" he screamed, leaping up to embrace the old man before he could realize the reaction his throbbing head would have to such an action. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

Gaius chuckled, loosing himself in the embrace. For a split second, he could see the old Merlin resurface, the one he hadn't seen in ages. Not that he's seen much of the crowned King lately, anyway.

"Sire, I assure you I haven't gone anywhere," he answered as Merlin clutched his head and laid back down.

After regaining his composure, Merlin looked around. His chambers seemed to be clear of everyone but Gaius, though the uneasiness of the morning was playing havoc on his nerves.

"Is there anyone else here, Gaius?" he asked quietly.

"No, sire, it figured it best to let your rest."

"Stop with the 'sire', Gaius, what's going on here? Where's Arthur? What happened to King Uther? Gwen? What am I doing here?" he shot off the questions one after another, so quickly Gaius could barely understand what was being said.

Merlin could see the surprise and confusion on Gaius' face. It was almost as if the old man was trying to figure out where the questions were coming from, and decide on the sincerity of his words.

"Gaius, please. The last thing I can remember was slaying another creature with Arthur and coming back home, to the shop," he pleaded, willing the old man to believe him. More than anything, he needed a friend right now.

"You must've hit your head, sire…" Gaius started, but Merlin interrupted once more.

"Gaius, I didn't hit my head. Please Gaius; I need you to trust me. This isn't a trick, this isn't the world I came from. I don't know what magic did this, but I need to fix it. Arthur was to rule Camelot, not Morgana, and most definitely not me."

Gaius took a long breath, the room getting utterly quiet.

"Merlin, you've been crowned king for three years now. Ruling over Camelot with Morgana by your side," Gaius answered quietly. "Arthur Pendragon hasn't been seen since the last of the rebellions died down, a few months after the overthrow. Some of the knights were killed, others fled swearing to restore Arthur to his rightful place. Peace now resides over Camelot, for the most part. You and Morgana, your powers combined have kept all threats at bay, and people for the most part have accepted this."

Gaius told the story of Merlin's rise to power. How Merlin, having consulted with Gaius, and against his wishes, told Morgana of his own powers. How it took a particularly brutal attempt of Uther's to wipe out a peaceful village of druids in the forests of Camelot for him to no longer be able to bare standing by. How he and Morgana had overtaken the castle in barely a day, and the time that passed afterwards.

Merlin sat in silence, trying to processes everything he had heard. So the visions, the things he had seen had been memories. Not his, but if this Merlin, traveling down this path.

"This isn't supposed to happen, Gaius."

"You've been a good king, Merlin," Gaius added, "Perhaps the choices you made weren't the best, but you have done right by Camelot."

"But not by Arthur," Merlin said gravely. "Have there really been no news of him?"

He could see the emotions etched on Gaius' face as he asked of Arthur's whereabouts. "Gaius, I know this all seems like a bad dream, a nightmare, or some ploy to destroy him. But I'm not lying."

"What would you do if you find him, Merlin?"

"I could explain, somehow, I'm sure," he said quickly, not having thought through the meeting itself. He couldn't just come up to the prince saying, 'hey, sorry about that, you can have Camelot back if you want!'. Not to mention Morgana… She might not be as willing to give up her reign as Merlin was.

"I will fix this, Gaius," he swore at last. "I promise you, I will fix this.

áfaran álystan - forgive me if I butchered old English, this should be roughly "Travel onto your wish".


	2. Chapter 2

[Snicker. King Merlin]

Again, no Merlin rights for me =/

As for the pairings... I've honestly not decided yet. I doubt any romance will enter the story.

A month.

Merlin had lived an entire month in this new world, one that, to his surprise, wasn't all bad.

It turned out to be a fairly easy lifestyle to slip into. A servant to do all the chores that he used to do, a good meal anytime he wanted one, respect and loyalty from his servants...

From what he had managed to piece together, Camelot was happy. The overturn of power didn't go unnoticed, yet Merlin's kind heart, and Morgana's good grace had managed to calm the people. Few innocents had died, and even some of the knights had stuck around. It saddened Merlin's heart to not see Sir Leon around anymore, but the new knights were trained and ready to defend and ensure peace in the lands.

As he soon learned, Morgan handled most of the politics. Being a warden of King Other, she had a lot of experience, and her heart was set on keeping Camelot a prosperous land, one were people were free to be exactly who they were.

It was at night that he did most of his research. Sneaking into the library, even though technically he could just walk in, he'd rummage through the books trying to figure out exactly what creature could have the power to turn the world upside down. But most of his searches came up empty. Few spells talked of bewitching crowds, some of erasing someone's existence. But none would explain the shift of time as it happened.

He could almost feel himself getting complacent here. After all, if the crowds were happy, wasn't it for the best that the innocent practitioners of magic remained free to do so?

But then he'd wander the halls of the castle, or walk the streets, and waves of nostalgia would hit him. He wasn't meant to be king, his destined lied with Arthurs, he was supposed to help the prince become the greatest king of all, and this wasn't the way to do so.

No, he couldn't get comfortable in this lifestyle. His destiny demanded otherwise.

And truth be told, though he'd never admit to it, he missed the old him. He'd missed being treated as an equal, instead of a superior. No one but Gaius would even call him by name. He even caught himself thinking about making deliveries for Gaius, and how much he'd missed being a servant.

But most of all, he missed his best friend. Because the prince had become just that. He had missed the banter the two would exchange, the ridiculous chores Arthur would send him to do, but yet never complain (at least not seriously) when they didn't get done. He missed riding off to battle the newest danger.

No, this place wasn't meant to be.

But what could he do? All of his tracking spells came back unanswered. Magic couldn't pinpoint the locations of the Pendragons, or even Gwen. The two must be off somewhere together, shielded by the very magic that caused the events that lead to their banishment.

Merlin sighed.

No, the dragon surely wouldn't like this.

He remembered the anger he felt when he had tried to contact the dragon upon first finding himself in this world, the pure hatred was overpowering. Even now, making his way to the dark caves, Merlin had to focus on simply putting one foot in front of the other.

"Come," he said, his voice commanded, layered with the strength and power of the dragon lords.

Opening his eyes, he stood, waiting.

He heard the dragons roar before the creature finally settled on the rock in front of him.

"How dare you, sorcerer!" it screamed at him in outrage.

"I'm sorry, but i had no other choice!" He answered quickly, hoping he could get what he came to say out before the dragon decided to strike. He knew he could command the dragon to listen, stay still, but Merlin knew the dragon had a right to be angry at him.

"This future doesn't belong; Arthur is supposed to be king. I want to fix whatever happened to create this time. Please, understand. The time I'm from, Arthur is the crowned prince, and you are free of the chains, as i promised."

The dragon remained silent, watching Merlin as if he was trying to find some speck on his pores.

"I don't know what you've done now, dragon lord, but i would rather end my kind then help you any longer. Your lies will not sway my mind."

"You have to understand. I do not want this future. But I don't know what magics were done to create this, and i cannot find a way to undo them."

"You have no one to blame but yourself," answered the dragon. "I warned you when you choose your path; you must deal with the consequences on your own."

"I didn't choose the path," Merlin tried again. "This future was chosen for me, I don't know how it came to be. Magic is at play here."

"Do not insult me, magics as grand as you speak of leave a mark, a trace, one i would be able to see."

"Please, just help me find Arthur."

The dragon laughed at that. "You know as well as i do that the spell you cast has no reversal. You called upon the Old Religion to hide him, now no magic means will be able to find the young Pendragon."

Merlin took a step back, the weight of the words falling onto him. He wouldn't... And yet deep inside, he knew he would. Merlin knew people might try to seek vengeance on Arthur once magic was no longer outlawed. He, himself, would cast the spell twice over to protect Arthur. After all, an attack on royal blood was a crime. A random man in a village wouldn't cause up quite the same troubles.

"There must be a way..."

"Haven't you taken enough from the boy? His life, his home, his destiny... You once had a good heart, sorcerer."

"I do not want to kill him," Merlin said, his voice gravely serious. How dare the dragon say such a thing? There can't exist a world where such a thing was true. Merlin wouldn't believe it. "I just want things to go back to the way they were."

"You have lied too many times for me to trust you any longer, King Merlin, your words mean nothing," said the dragon before turning and flying away.

Merlin was left on his own.

But how could he seek that which will not be found? He had tried to find Leon, or any of the knights for that matter, but they must've been also covered by the spell.

He turned around, making his way up the dark stairs.

Making his way down the hallways, Merlin found himself caught up in his thoughts. There was something in the dragon's words, he could feel it. A voice inside his head was screaming at him to realize, to read between the lines...

"Hey, watch it!" A familiar voice screamed at Merlin as he almost knocked someone off their feet.

"Sorry," Merlin mumbled, trying to focus on the person at hand. When he saw the face, his jaw almost dropped to the floor. "Gwaine?"

Merlin enveloped the man in a hug, so happy to see the Gwaine.

"Have we met?" Gwaine asked uncertainly, confused by the warm welcome he was receiving from the king.

"Apparently not," Merlin mumbled, taking a step back.

"Quite the warm welcome for my first time in Camelot," Gwaine smiled, and Merlin felt at ease. Some people never change, no matter what magic was done.

"Gwaine, how would you like to get a drink?" Merlin asked, a smile forming on his face.

The early morning light was breaking outside the windows by the time Merlin managed to convince Gwaine of his tale. They had never made it to the taverns, the conversation was too private for that. Instead, they ended up at Gaius' shop, the old man swiftly asleep upstairs.

"Will you help me, Gwaine?" Merlin finally said, "I hate asking you for a favor after you've known me for so little time, but I've ran out of other options."

"You might be a mad man, but for some reason, I trust you," Gwaine answered honestly.

Merlin smiled again. Maybe, just maybe his luck was changing. He walked over to the shelves, picking up two plain looking gems.

"Take this," Merlin said, handing one of the stones to Gwaine. The two gems were enchanted with an easy enough spell, something Merlin had been practicing.

"It's an alarm, of sorts. If you break it, its twin will turn a bright red. I will travel out to meet you wherever you are."

"Merlin..." Gwaine started, but paused, trying to pick out the right words. "I've been to a lot of taverns, but I've never even heard whispers of Arthur."

"I know," answered Merlin. "But we have to try. The crown isn't mine to wear, it belongs to Arthur. Search for Leon, or Gwen. Perhaps even Lancelot, if their paths ever crossed."

"I'll do my best."


	3. Chapter 3

Walking farther in, Merlin paused, sitting down at the creek. It had been another week, and he hadn't heard nor seen from Gwaine. A part of him felt foolish for expecting anything else, after all, he was certain Arthur knew how to hide. He just couldn't help hoping that Gwaine will succeed, and... Well, he wasn't sure quite what to do at that point. He was going off the assumption that he'd know the right words to say when the right time comes. He laid down on the grass, closing his eyes.

"_Merlin, are you alright?" Morgana asked, as the two walked the corridors of the Camelot castle. _

"_Yes, of course," he answered, mentally cursing at himself. From what Gaius told him, he and Morgana had become close friends, it was silly of him to assume she wouldn't notice his strange behavior, or the dark circles that seemed to find permanent residence on his face. "I just haven't been sleeping well."_

"_Why don't you take the day off?" she suggested, worry etched on her face. "I can handle things here, and if anything happens, I'll send word."_

_He smiled. Morgana's own magic had advanced a lot over in this time. She liked to do little things, like return life to a wilting flower, or fix a broken plate. He was happy for her, he truly was. She was so happy, so good, a part of him wondered if this timeline would yield to her destiny being alongside his and Arthur's. _

"_I think that's just what I need."_

_She smiled at him. _

Merlin didn't notice when he drifted off to sleep, but he woke up with the most uncomfortable feeling of something cool next to his neck. Opening his eyes, he recognized the cold as having come for a sword, which was pointed right at his neck.

"No sudden movements, Merlin," Arthur's voice called out, sounding grim and quiet.

Merlin's mind, however, wasn't set on registering the very apparent death threat that he was supposed to be under. Instead, he jumped up and lounged at his old friend, enveloping him in a hug.

"Arthur, you have no idea how happy I am to see you!"

Looking around, he noticed familiar faces around him. It seems Arthur had brought along Gwaine.

"Look who I found," Gwaine's cheerful voice rang out, amusement on his face. "You really should be careful about leaping on people, Merlin. If Arthur here was a tad more menacing, you'd be sliced in half right now."

Arthur sighed, putting his sword away. Gwaine was too observant. If his threat was real, Merlin _would_ be dead right now. In fact, had it been anyone but Merlin at the tip of Arthur's sword…

"I told Arthur your story, it peaked his interest quite a bit," Gwaine added, amused at the sight before him. Merlin seemed to have shrunk to a three foot child, while Arthur stood there, uncomfortably, debating on what to do in such a situation.

Merlin's mind kicked in just in time for him to realize that Arthur had greeted him with a death threat. His heart sunk into his knees.

"I think it's safe to assume this isn't a trap, _sires_, so I'll just leave you lads alone," Gwaine mumbled, trying to keep a straight face. He turned to the forest, and within minutes was out of eyesight.

The two friends, or enemies as the time might have them, stayed silent.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur," Merlin finally said, "I don't know what happened here, or how, but I promise you I will fix it."

Arthur stayed silent, sitting down by the creek. "What is this, Merlin? A trick you're playing? Some magic gone awry? A trap, perhaps?"

Merlin joined Arthur, letting the familiarity of the situation dim the pain he felt. If he could close his eyes, it'd be just like old times; taking a breather while hunting down some game, Arthur pestering Merlin about not being stealthy enough and scaring away all the deer.

"You're not the bad guy you think you are, Merlin," Arthur continued, "You came to me, the night before. Apologizing, just as you are now."

_His eyes still closed, Arthur could hear the door open with a slight creak. He carefully felt for the dagger under his bed, ready to strike at the unwanted intruder._

"_Arthur?" he heard his servants quiet voice._

"_Mer_lin_?" Arthur groaned, turning around. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"_

"_I'm sorry Arthur, there's just no other way…"_

"_Merlin, I know you don't approve of my father's…."_

_Merlin interrupted, his voice void of the usual note of cheer, "I can't let him murder innocent people anymore, Arthur. I can't let people leave in fear of execution for being born a certain way. I'm so sorry, Arthur."_

_Arthur sat up, the very hairs on his back perking up. "Merlin, what are you rambling about?"_

"_I knew those people, Arthur. There were kind."_

"_I'm sorry, Merlin," Arthur said quietly._

"_As am I. But you have to go." Merlin paused, "I can't believe I'm saying these words."_

"_Arthur, Morgana and I are invading. And you won't survive a fight against two sorcerers."_

_Arthur remained silent. "At least you're finally telling me the truth."_

_If Merlin was surprised by Arthur's confession, he hid it well. "I can hide you, but you have got to leave. I don't want to see you get hurt in all of this, but I don't see any other way."_

"You knew?" Merlin asked.

"Of course," Arthur answered simply. "I'm not the bumbling idiot you seemed to take me for."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing Merlin!" Arthur snapped, getting up. "I left of my own free will. You were right, and you had the guts to stand up for something I could barely believe in."

"But it's not my place."

"So what, you expect me to just come back at your beckoning, 'hey Morgana, pass me the ruling stick, it's my turn now'! Well it doesn't work that way, Merlin! You wanted the throne so badly, you got it!"

"I didn't want it!" Merlin shouted back. "I perfectly content with just polishing your armor and saving your arse every second turn!"

"Then why'd you do it, Merlin? Because the way I see it, not only did my best friend not think me trustworthy enough to share who he was with me, but he also didn't think of me as a worthwhile king."

"You don't believe me, do you?"

Arthur stayed silent.

"I cannot defend a choice I didn't make, Arthur," Merlin said, trying to meet his friend's gaze. "But I can guarantee you this, I believe, and always did, that you will be a great king. And I promise I'll make it happen, whether you believe me or not."

"Merlin…"

"I can reverse this, I know I can. I just need to find the right incantation."

"Merlin…"

"Being a sorcerer has to have its perks. I must be able to do this."

"Merlin, I'm not coming back," Arthur rushed out, seeing as how Merlin was dead set to go off on a rant.

Now, however, it seemed like the floor was all Arthur's. "You're a fine king. Camelot is prosperous, and I'm okay with that. Like I said before, Merlin,"

But Merlin wasn't listening. His head felt like it was about to split open, and he could feel more memories try to pour into him. But they weren't significant. Just flashes of daily life, faces of people he met… But his head!

He could've almost sworn he heard Arthurs voice calling out to him, but he just couldn't answer. The memories were becoming darker, and he was just waiting for it to envelop him whole.

"Merlin…"

"Merlin…"

He could faintly process his name being called, but his body refused to give up the refuge of the sleep. His throbbing headache told him that whatever was happening, it wasn't good.

Slowly his eyes slid open, and he allowed himself to look around. He noticed Gaius hovering over him.

"Thank goodness you're awake," he said, "We've been trying to wake you the entire day!"

"Where am I?" he asked, trying to piece together what had happened.

"What, you don't recognize your room?" Gaius asked with a chuckle.

Merlin smiled._ Whatever it was, it was over,_ he thought to himself.

"Is he awake?" he heard Arthur's voice from downstairs. "My armor won't polish itself…"

"It was nice while it lasted," he said quietly, catching the strange look Gaius threw at him.

[So not the end, but I couldn't think of a better transition]

Merlin felt like he was deeply missing a sigh, some catch phrase, and a few rotten tomatoes thrown at him.

Because the next time he woke up, it was dark, cold, and smelly, and for better or worse, he couldn't spot a single face around. He silently thanked whoever had picked the dark room, because he felt like a horde of solders just danced on his head.

"Hello?" he whispered into the silence, his eyes trying to hunt down anything that would help him figure out where he was.

"Merlin?"

"Yes, it's me, where are you?" he asked into the darkness. _Though a better question would be to ask who it was._

"I'm right here," it answered again, "I was afraid they'd killed you. Though I guess that really doesn't matter now."

He made his way to the corner, barely recognized the outlines of the person huddled in it, "Freya?"

He sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "What's going on? How did we get here?"

He felt, more then saw, Freya looking at him, "Are you hurt?" she asked. The events of the past night weren't exactly easy to forget.

"You could say that," he answered, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"We're in the dungeons, Merlin, awaiting execution at first light."

"No, no, that won't happen, Arthur would never…"

"The prince is out on some official business, you said he wouldn't be back for a week, two at most."

"I'm sorry, Merlin," Freya said, scooting closer to the boy.

-~- /I hate these kinds of transitions, but hey, it's necessary\\-~_

"How is he, Gaius?"

"Whatever has him, sire… It's not natural."

"Is there a cure?"

"If I knew more about what exactly was happening to him… Maybe. But I'm afraid I just don't know enough"

"I hate this, Gaius."

"I know, sire, I know."

And just like that, the voices were gone, and Merlin was alone in the darkness. He had lost track of how many different places he's been to, how many adventures he had started. But that night, it stayed with him. No, that story played out till the end. He could still feel the flames on his skin, the smell of charred flesh…

He sat down, not really caring where, letting the nothingness envelop him.

The sound was so faint he could barely hear it.

And yet it was there, a light, carefree childish laughter somewhere in the distance, and yet Merlin knew it didn't belong.

"Who are you?" He screamed into the darkness. "What do you want from me?"

"We just come out to play, Merlin," the voice answered with ease. "Wishes, wishes, here they are fishes!"

It laughed again.

And yet behind the childish façade, Merlin could feel the powerer magic.

"What are you doing to me?"

"The sorcerer is strong," it said, "He retreats, lets his mind rest, he will be a fun one, oh the things we will see!"

And just like that, they were gone, and Merlin couldn't help but scream again.

"Merlin!" he could hear a voice yell at him. "Please, Merlin, you have to wake up! You need to tell me how to help you!"

Merlin woke up kicking and screams, he just needed to concentrate and he could light the bastards on fire…

"Arthur, back away, now!" Gaius' commanding voice rang through the room. He knew that Merlin would be disoriented, and might even go as far as to try to use magic to free himself. They didn't need Arthur accidently finding out on top of everything.

"Where am I?" Merlin screamed, his eyes reminding Arthur of a wild beast being cornered by a hunter. Merlin looked so lost, confused…

"You're safe, Merlin," Gaius replied, his voice calm. "Please, we need you to tell us what's happening to you so we can fix it."

"I.. burned alive. Couldn't even help her," Merlin murmured to himself.

"Sire, would you get him some food? The boy needs to eat while he's awake?" Gaius asked.

Arthur simply nodded. He had no idea what to do in a situation like this. Give him a sword and show him where to point it, he'll strike the beast dead. It was the uncertainty that was killing him.

"Merlin," Gaius called, but Merlin just kept muttering to himself. "Merlin, is it magic? Please, focus. You have to tell me what's happening to you."

"I… I keep jumping. As if I'm traveling on a path of what ifs. My head, Gaius. It's being filled with memories I didn't take part in…"

"We'll fix this, Merlin," the old man said quietly.

"There are these voices," Merlin mumbled. "They're not from the memories, I'm sure. They talk as if it's a game for them Gaius, but I'm not sure I'm strong enough to win it."

"Oh sure, Merlin," Arthur started as he walked back into the room, setting a plate of food in front of Merlin, "I've heard some of the most creative excuses and insults from you, but when it comes to little girls, they'll outwit you."

"Maybe I should thank them for finally getting you to play servant for once," Merlin joked, quickly starting on the food. He had no idea how hungry he was until that first bite.

Arthur rolled his eyes, secretly patting himself on the back for Merlin's uplifted spirits. This was the longest his friends' been conscious in a week, and it was scaring him.

Taking another bite of the soup, Merlin winced. His head was letting him know that it was there, though personally he'd prefer to forget that fact. Currently, he felt as if his brain swelled up to three times the size of what it used to be.

"Do you heart that?" Merlin suddenly asked.

"What?"

"The laughter, it's there again." Looking from Gaius to Arthur, Merlin knew he must've sounded like a madman. Though a few more trips, and he just might be there. Already, some of the events seemed to leak into his mind, so much that he could barely tell them apart from his real memories.

"The sorcerer likes our game, I think," Merlin heard. He looked around, but he couldn't see anyone.

"Merly, Merly, you can't see me, silly goose. You can only play, play my little game."

"Whatever it is you're doing, stop it!" he screamed at what seemed to be thin air, causing Gaius and Arthur to exchange glances, "Stop looking at me like that, I know I seem mad, but I hear it clear a day, it sounds like a child!"

"We believe you," Arthur said, "We'll fix it, I promise. Did something happen? A potion? Did you knock over a witch?"

"The last thing I remember…" Merlin barely stopped himself. He was about to say that it was in the marketplace, while he was helping Arthur pick out a gift for Gwen, his Queen. But that wasn't real… Or was it? "Everything's messed up in my head."

"Don't lose yourself now, Merlin," the voice mocked. "Quitting is no fun."

"Gaius, do you have anything for my head?" he asked, feeling a sharp pain again. "It's like someone's digging a dagger into my skull.

Before Gaius could return with the potion, Merlin was out cold.

"Gaius…"

"I know Arthur," he set the potion down by the side of the bed. "I'll search through the books, try to figure out what's causing this."

"Are you… Are you sure that's it magic, Gaius?" Arthur asked, keeping his eyes at anything but the physician.

"No," Gaius answered after some thought. "But I will explore every other option before I believe otherwise."

"Good, take anything you need and do not hesitate to call upon me."

[Another Chapter… Hmm]

Merlin woke up to the sun on his face, finding his head to be clear, and the grass making a nice pillow for his body. He was hesitant to open his eyes. He wasn't sure where he'd end up, and he wasn't sure what to think. There were so many memories in his head, all seeming like a past he had lived through. He pushed his thoughts away, trying to enjoy the sun.

"Merlin, wake up." A gentle voice told him to.

He opened his eyes at the familiarity of the voice. None other the Freya was standing in front of him. He waited for the pain to come, the memories of how he came to be where he is, but they never came.

"You are safe here, your mind will not be plagued by memories and stories of time to come. You have nothing to fear here, young sorcerer. Though I must warn you, the shape I am wearing, I am not her. Your mind simply sees me as someone you'd trust, someone whose company you would love to be in."

"Who are you?" Merlin asked, getting up to get a better look around.

"Me and my kind mean you no harm, Merlin. Our magic is of the old religion, of peace. We come to your kind in dreams, to show the possibilities of futures, the things that could happen, or did happen. To let you reflect. "

"Then… Why can't I wake up? Why can't I tell the dreams from reality anymore? Why have you kept me here for months?"

"You're a powerful sorcerer, Merlin. Even the oldest of us would have troubles keeping your magics from mixing with ours. They are of the same source, and thus easily intertwined. The young one meant you no harm, she simply tried to help. You mustn't blame her. The power went to her head, she is still unpracticed."

"Can you fix me?" Merlin asked.

"I am afraid what is done cannot be undone. But I can end it."

"What will happen to me?"

"My magic is only over this domain. I can allow you to live out a life in any world you have seen. If you so choose, I can wake you from this. But from there, we cannot help you."

"You did this, you have to undo it. I cannot live with all these memories, clogging up my mind!" Merlin screamed. This wasn't fair. He couldn't do it, there was so much there, all jumbled up.

"I am sorry Merlin, but that's the truth. I wish I could right the wrongs committed, but it is outside my power."

"Then take me back. Make me wake up."

"Are you certain? This is my dominion, I can shield your mind here, let you live out a happy life…"

"No."

"As you wish, Merlin."

When he opened his eyes next, it was nighttime, and he was back in his room. He got up slowly, trying to ease the movements. His body felt sore, and his head was still pounding. He tried to recall the last time he was awake, but a thousand different memories came to mind.

He paused at his door, hearing voices downstairs.

"Gaius, he's been out a full week… Have you found anything?" he heard Arthur ask.

"There's mention of an old people, one who guide dreams, but nothing as severe as what Merlin seemed to go through," Gaius answered.

"How long does he have?" Arthur asked.

"I, I don't know sire. I don't know how it's affecting his body, not to mention the effect it will have on his mind…"

"Is there…" Arthur paused, "Is there magic, something that could help him?"

Merlin smiled. He was glad Arthur was beginning to see the good side of the magic, and growing more accustomed to it.

He opened his door, slowly making his way downstairs.

"Arthur, I'm glad you've accepted magic, but I've got it covered," he answered, resisting the urge to laugh at their faces.

"Merlin!" Gaius enveloped him in a hug, "How are you feeling? How's your head?"

"I'm fine," Merlin answered quickly. "I think. It should be over now."

He paused, walking over to the dining room table. "I am starving though."

Merlin's eyes glowed yellow and food appeared on the table. "I feel like I haven't eaten in a day."

Turning around, he noticed the shell-shocked expression on both their faces. He searched his mind, trying to figure out what caused them to look like he'd just sprung an extra arm and a tail (though it did happen that one time…).

"Merlin, what are you doing?"

"What, did you want some?" He asked, turning around.

"What?" he asked, noticing the looks on their faces. They looked at him as if he'd grown an extra tail and some hoofs.

It took a second for the events to hit Merlin. He had gotten used to doing magic around Arthur. He remembered doing so, but it must've never happened.

"Arthur…"

"What if someone had seen you?" he asked.

Now Merlin was more confused than ever. "You knew?"

"Of course I did, Merlin, I'm not daft," Arthur scoffed, "Can I safely assume Gaius knew as well?"

Gaius smiled, recovering, "He saved my life first time he got here."

Merlin could barely recall the memory. He'd have to file it away as one of the real ones.

"Merlin, what's going on?" Arthur asked, concerned. "You usually do a much better job concealing it."

"Well, " he started, sitting down. "You might want to sit down, it's a long tale."


End file.
